Reported Arsenal and Liverpool target Diego Carlos delivered a blow to Sevilla’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League on Monday night, scoring a disastrous own goal as his side collapsed late on against Levante.
No wonder Julen Lopetegui was left counting the cost of what might be two crucial points dropped in calamitous circumstances.
Sevilla could have moved to within touching distance of Real Madrid in second if they had held onto a one-goal lead given to them by a Luuk de Jong tap-in just after half-time.
But, with just three minutes left on the clock, the usually faultless Carlos made the most uncharacteristic of blunders as a pinpoint cross deflected off him and trickled into the back of Tomas Vaclik’s net.
“The feeling is not good because we wanted to win,” former Real Madrid and Spain coach Lopetegui bemoaned, speaking to SportsFinding.
Carlos has been linked with a big-money move to the Premier League throughout 2020, with ABC Sevilla suggesting in March that the former Ligue 1 powerhouse could be set to join Jurgen Klopp’s star-studded Liverpool squad at Anfield.
Arsenal have also been linked, via El Desmarque in June, despite a £67 million release clause which is surely well beyond the Gunners’ reach.
And while Carlos might not be Mr Popular in Andalusia this morning, one mistake should not overshadow all the good work he has done since moving to Spain last year.
After all, it was his stunning, crossfield pass which set Sevilla on their way to the opening goal on Monday night – a ball Virgil van Dijk himself would have been proud of.
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